Varanasi, Delhi blasts accused among 4 top ultras killed in J

Srinagar, May 9 (UNI) A top Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami (HUJI) militant, brain behind the Varanasi and Delhi blasts, was killed by the security forces in an encounter in north Kashmir today.

Elsewhere in the state, two top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Pakistan based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were among three militants killed while security forces busted a number of hideouts and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition overnight.

An official spokesman said Javed alias Zubair, a resident of Bhadot in Uttar Pradesh, was killed by Army's Para unit and the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police in a joint operation at Handwara in frontier district of Kupwara in the early hours.

Official sources said the HUJI militant was one of the brains behind the twin blasts at Varanasi in which 20 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded at Sankatmochan temple and Cantonment Railway station. It is believed that the militant was also involved in the Delhi blast.

One pistol, one magazine and 22 rounds were seized from him, the sources added.

Giving details, they said the security forces launched a search operation at Handwara in the wee hours following a tip-off that militants were hiding there. The tip-off was provided by the UP police few weeks ago, the sources said adding two other militants, however, managed to flee.

As the troops were sealing the area, the militants opened fire on them. The fire was effectively retaliated and in the ensuing gunfight Zubair, was killed, the sources added.

They said some incriminating documents and diary were recovered from the slain militant which are being examined by the experts.

MORE UNI BAS HS HS1941